'Last Living Man of the 19th Century' Dies at 117

Nabi Tajima passed away on April 21 at a hospital on the island of Kikaijima, Japan.

According to Quartz, born on April 8, 1900, Nabi Tajima died at the age of 117 years and 280 days, and she is also the only person to have ever “experienced” 3 centuries (the year 1900 was the last year of 19th century rather than the first year of the 20th century). Ms. Tajima has also experienced many technological revolutions, from cars, air travel, space tourism to computers, Internet, smartphones; She also witnessed both World Wars.

'Last Living Man of the 19th Century' Dies at 117
Photo taken by Mrs. Tajima in 2015. (Photo: Routers).

When Mrs. Taijma was born, Japan was an isolated feudal country ruled by Emperor Meiji. Suffrage at that time was very limited: it was only when she was 45 years old that women in Japan were allowed to vote.

Tajima has nine children, along with more than 160 direct descendants. According to BNO News, the secret to her long life shared is “eating well and sleeping well”.

According to the Guinness Book of Records, the oldest person ever is a French woman named Jeanne Louise Calment, aged 122. Similarly, the oldest man in history is Francisco Nuñez Olivera, who passed away on January 29 this year at the age of 113.

The record held by Tajima will be passed on to another Japanese woman named Chiyo Miyako, who will also turn 117 next May.